This wasabi-spicy tuna tartare with creamy avocado will pack your summer gatherings with Asian flair. It’s a refreshing starter loaded with tangy soy sauce, crispy onions, and herby cilantro for the perfect bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cold tuna appetizer with lime-soy sauce and herby cilantro is a 10-minute appetizer you’ll be making on repeat this summer.
- Asian-inspired. Wasabi, spicy sriracha, and soy sauce create an Asian-style marinade for the tuna.
- Beginner-friendly. Since there’s no cooking involved, this refreshing seafood appetizer is great for beginner cooks.
- Fancy but easy. The layered avocado, tuna, and crispy onion garnish makes this easy recipe look super fancy.
- Chilled. Served straight out of the fridge, this tuna tartare is the perfect summer appetizer.
What Is Tuna Tartare?
Tuna tartare is a chilled appetizer made with diced tuna and fresh veggies like avocado, onions, radishes, and tomatoes. It’s assembled in layers for visual appeal, alternating between the fish and other ingredients. The tuna can be seasoned with salt and pepper, or marinated in a lime-soy sauce mixture. This is an Asian twist on tuna tartare so I’ve also added Sriracha and wasabi paste for a bit of heat.
Recipe Ingredients
Sriracha, wasabi, and fresh radish add different kinds of Asian spiciness and heat. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Tuna – Ask the fishmonger to slice it for you to save time.
- Olive oil – Peanut and sesame oil are great swaps.
- Limes – You can also use lemons.
- Wasabi paste – Some grocery stores sell it as a powder you can prepare, or buy it pre-made at Asian grocery stores.
- Soy sauce – I prefer low-sodium soy sauce. Reduce the amount by 1/4 if you use regular soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Sriracha – Hot sauce or chili oil work too.
- Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper are best.
- Avocado – You can use chunky guacamole instead.
- Radish – Feel free to skip it if you’re not a fan.
- Crispy onions – Make them by tossing thinly sliced onions in flour and then deep-frying them until crispy.
- Cilantro – Chives and green onions are great swaps.
What Tuna Is Best For Tuna Tartare?
Raw sushi-grade tuna that’s been kept in proper refrigeration is best for making tuna tartare. It’s relatively safer for raw consumption because the time from when it’s caught to being sliced and packaged is a lot shorter than that of regular commercial tuna.
Tips & Variations
Handling fresh tuna like a pro is easy if you know exactly when to slice it.
- More garnishes. Black sesame seeds, crispy tempura pearls, and sliced green onions can add lots of extra texture to every bite.
- Don’t leave it out. Never leave tartare out for more than 20-25 minutes to prevent bacteria build-up and spoilage. If you’re not serving it right away, it’s best to keep it in the fridge.
- Add Korean flair. Swap the wasabi for Korean BBQ marinade and the Sriracha for gochujang chili sauce to give the recipe a Korean twist.
- Swap the protein. Use fresh salmon prepare this tartare for an easy variation.
- Slice it frozen. The first secret to clean cuts is using a very sharp knife. The second is to dice the tuna while it’s halfway thawed.
Serving Suggestions
This tuna tartare is a great starter for Asian-style dinners. Serve it with my Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp or Shrimp Fried Rice. Don’t forget my Orange Chicken and Asian Stir Fry for a classic take out-inspired meal. For a refreshing side, try my Quick Cucumber Kimchi. If you prefer something warm and comforting, go for my Beef Pho Noodle Soup.
Proper Storage
Refrigerate the chille tuna tartare for up to 2 days. Don’t store it longer than this to prevent the risk of food poisoning.
More Seafood Recipes To Try
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp
- Apricot Glazed Salmon Recipe
- Braised Halibut Recipe with Leeks
Tuna Tartare
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds of tuna steak diced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3 large limes juiced (1/4 cup), 1 lime zested
- 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 avocado diced
- 1 radish thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of crispy onions
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Place tuna olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Using 3 1/2″ Ramekins or whatever size you have available place 2 tablespoon of diced avocado in bottom and smooth out with back of spoon.
- Place tuna on top of avocado filling to the rim of the ramekin.
- When ready to serve, run a knife around inside edge of ramekin and flip ramekin upside down onto small plate and tap to remove content. Tap bottom with end of knife to encourage content to release.
- Top with crispy onions, a few slices of radish and a cilantro leaf.
As an avid fisherman, dishes from fish are always interesting to me, and of course because it is not only tasty, but healthy! I often cook fish and can distinguish a good dish from a delicious one. This recipe is delicious, thanks!
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I was just looking for how to do it at home!
GIMMIE!!!!!! But no seriously… GIVE ME THAT DELICIOUSNESS!
Thanks girlie!
Dear Amy, I’m not brave enough for raw fish, but my kids absolutely love it!! That being said however, this just looks so beautiful and fresh. I love the flavor profile..I am sure it is wonderful! xo, Catherine
I LOVE raw tuna. I usually make poke with it. Your tuna tartare is beautiful and really tempting me right now. The avocado is an added bonus.
You might be interested in the lemon pith cheesecake my wife made. Yes – Lemon Pith! I wrote about it in a piece called Cheesecake Mistakes.
Enjoying your blog.
I can see why your family requests this, Amy. I would, too! Fresh, flavorful, & creamy were the first words that came to mind. Beautiful dish!